Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-11-30

ineu 10 uespoll. lne Oerman is an cA-
cellent tireur a res6rou6e. very old
kind of robbery. consisting in violently
running against person and profting
from his confusion by picking his pock-
cts. He seldom frequents the races or
crowded stores, but may be seen at the
banks, where he watches persons that
draw money and sees into which
pocket they put it, The Germans also
excel in the Uoi an radii, which consists
in profiting from the momentary mat
tcntion of n cashier to make off with his
money.
1.-The Italian pickpocket knows his
extreme cleverness. He is conscious of
his superiority, and he laughs at every
European police force. He boldly re-
peats his robberies at the same locality.
although aware that complaints have
awakened the attention of the police.
Full of confidence in his art, and enjoy
ing his triumphs, he ends, however, by
falling into their hands. II he had the
prudence Of the English pickpocket he
could defy all detectives of the uni
verse. He is the artist of pickpockets,
but, yielding to his southern ardor. he
~ caught by his obstinate presence in
the same crowd. He never abandons
favorite place until he has stolen all
that he can possibly steal. In an inter-
national reunion of pickpockets he
would be unanimously chosen presi-
dent. When he has thrown his eye on
pocket, his address deties all compe-
ton. BY n movement SO natural that
it escapes notice he feels of pocket,
weighs purse, and appropriates it
with the greatest dexterity. When en-
gagged at his work he often purposely
excites the attention of his victim by n
slight and apparently accidental touch,
which permits him to present his ex-
cuses in a most amiable and gracious
manner. In point of dexterity the
Spaniard is his rival. He operates I'M
ostentatiously, with suppleness and
lightness of hand, but his movements are
not stamped with that charming grace
the secret of which the Italian alone
possesses.
1.-The pickpocketnever wears glove
on his right hand, and to conceal his
movements he frequently carries a
light overcoat on his left arm. In
winter an overcoat on the arm would
excite suspicion, and hence he carries
then large handkerchief, which he
pretends to unfold to put around his
neck. At churches, balls, cafes, thea
ters, the hat takes the place of the
overcoat and handkerchief In the
slang of these malefactors, he who
takes the purse is called the main
(hand). The aids are called MONIES.
They are the pupils, the accomplices.
They must place themselves between le
main and the crowd for the further Sc
curity of the former. II Is their bust
ness to look out for the detectives and
to dispose of the victim in the way most
convenient for le mdin--whether by
elbowing and jostling him more or less
vigorously or by attracting his atten-
ton from tho operator The latter, in
order to conceal his right hand, raises
his left arm, on which rests his over
coat, so that the overcoat covers the
pocket that ho intends to explore.
What precautions, what delicacy and
lightness of touch he must employ. to
como off successfully! Two fingers
only are introduced into the pocket.
Lightly they raise tho pocket-book,
which for an instant Is held suspended
so that its owner shall not feel the
sudden tightening of his pocket. AT
this moment the nome, who is behind,
pushes the victim slightly, when the
latter, turning about, ceases to soc and
to feel what is going on. If the sum
to be stolen is large, the pickpocket
often maneuvers long time with his
victim. He quits him, finds him again,
and never abandons him until he has
got his money, unless, his eagerness
overcoming his ordinary prudence, he
is detected. In this case the MONIES
come to his aid and endenvor to get
him off before the arrival of the
police, in which effort they usually
succeed. An experienced detective
is not satisfied with arresting the
main; he wants the accompliccs. This
is why the main passes the stolen
articles to the first nome. who passes
them to the second, and SO on to the
last of the band. This action is doubly
advantageous to the main. Surprised
by his victim, he has nothing on him,
and that permits him to protest his in
nocence with vehement Indignation. If
the main is arrested by an inexpcri-
enced agent of police, his protestations
are usually successful, for nothing
compromising is found on his person,
and the agent is afraid of making n
mistake"
"How many robberies of this kind
are committed in Paris dailyp"
-Four OF five hundred. At least two
thirds of them go unpublished. There
are pickpockcts everywhere. A couple
of weeks ago, ut the Wedding of the
niece of the Minister of the Interior, a
rascal in full dress and with the appear
ance of gentleman picked dozen
was arrested. Two detectives that hap
pened to be passing saw him throw
something into cellar window. A
pockct-book struck one of the bars of
the window and bounded back upon
the pavement The fellow was arrested
and taken TO the station. where over
$4,000 francs were found upon his per-
son. In the cellar, which had not been
used for long time, were found more
than $50 pocket-books. =
"Tho ruses these rascals often en-
ploy are exceedingly shrcwd. An old
pickpocket, with whom ! have had
some dealings, told me story, not
long ago, about magistrate in the
provinces who thought himself alto
gether too smart for pickpockets. You
need. he said, to take only few very
simple precautions to battle them COM
pletely. Railways put my pocket-book